Fountain divider



F. M. GREEN FOUNTAIN DIVIDER Nov. 10, 1942.

Filed Dec. 9, 1941 NVENTOR.

Patented Nov. l0, 1942 FOUNTAIN DIVIDER Floyd M. Green, Des Moines, Iowa, assigner of one-half to Meredith Publishing Company, Des

Moines, Iowa, a corporation of Application December 9, 1941, Serial Iowa 5 Claims. (Cl. 10i-214)) My invention relates to a fountain divider of the type used in the ink fountain of printing presses to keep inks of diierent colors separated in the fountain. v

The bottom of the fountain trough may not be perfectly smooth and uniform,

of the trough and the roller.

A divider which point in the trough Where its use may be desired allows seepage and intermixture of the inks. Ink must be discarded after the true color is lost by seepage from one division of the fountain to another.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a divider structure in which independent adjustment of the sealing means can be made at various points along the trough and roller engaging edges of the divider.

Another object is to provide a divider which can be easily device whereby tained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View, showing the fountain trough and roller in cross section, and illustrating the relation of my divider to those members.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the trough, roller and my divider.

Figure 3 is a top view of the same.

In the drawing the reference numeral I 0 indicates the fountain roller. The fountain trough, indicated generally by the number I 2, has an inclined bottom I4, and in some types of presses has an upstanding wall I6.

My divider consists and 20, mounted in closely spaced relation, a strip 22 of felt, rubber 0r similar resilient matesame at all points along the lengthl does not t tightly at any essentially of two plates I8 rial being mounted between the plates in such 55 28. The blocks 2t,

a way that it projects somewhat beyond the edges of the plate.

A block 24 is welded or otherwise fastened to the upper edge of the plate I8, to facilitate ed to the inner face of the plate 23, 30 and 32, tapped to receive screws 34, 35, 38 and 4.0, respectively. A projecting lug 42 is affixed to the inner face of the plate 20, and iurnishes means by which the plates I8 and 20 are fastened together. The lug 42 is slotted so that it may be received under the head of a screw 44 which is carried in a tapped opening in the block 28, 30 and 32 are approximately the same in height as the thickness of the resilient strip 22, so that'when the plates are fastened together at a spacing determined by the height of the blocks, the resilient strip will be suitably retained between the plates.

Under the block 28, as seen in the cross sectional view of Figure 2, I provide 50, and this strip is controlled by two screws 38 and 40. This makes possible great flexibility of control, since the relative pressure in two regions along the roll can be adjusted. The strip 50 is provided with a hooked end 52, and the engagement of the screw 38 with this hooked end serves to keep the strip in its proper position.

in the block 24, and with a slot 58 screws pass into the wall I6 of the trough. It may be preferable to supply clamping means on the bracket for attachment to the trough, and

troughs of different shape will require a modified form of support, differing somewhat from the angle bracket shown. The precise method of support is not a part of my invention.

observed, however, so far as the structure of the divider itself is concerned, that I have provided a device wherein the sealing pressure of the resilient strip may be easily and conveniently adjusted at various critical points along the roller and trough. Even if the trough is sprung somewhat, the divider can be made to Work with equal along the tr-ough, because take up the dierences in shape. If wear occurs in the roller or trough, or in the resilient sealing strip itself, the adjustments provided will still enable an effective seal to be maintained.

It will be noted further that the outer surfaces of my device which are exposed to the ink in the trough are perfectly smooth and hence readily cleaned. The adjusting screws are readily operated by a screw driver, whichfis inserted into the space between the plates I3 and 20, yet nevertheless, the location of the screws is such that they are not likely to become fouled by the ink used in the fountain. If ink should get into the working parts, however, the plate 23 can be removed by loosening of the single screw 44, s0 that any necessary cleaning can be quickly and easily effected.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modied forms of structure, or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

l. A printing press fountain divider including spaced side members, mounting means adjacent the top -of one of said side members, adapted to connect with means for supporting said divider in the ink trough of a printing press, members removably supporting the other of said side members in spaced relation with said one side member, a sealing strip, and means housed between said side members adapted to press said sealing effectiveness at various points it can be adjusted to strip against the adjacent portions of the fountain when said divider is mounted in a printing press fountain. y

2. In a divider for a printing press ink fountain having a trough and a roller, a pair of side members adapted to be supported in parallel spaced relation in the trough perpendicular to the axis of the roller, a resilient member retained between said side members and projecting beyond the edges thereof, and adjusting means adapted to vary the extent of projection of said resilient member.

3. A fountain divider members, resilient sealing inciuding spaced side means supported between said members and extending beyond the edges thereof, and a plurality of adjusting elements whereby the extension of various portions o the sealing means in selectively controllable, said adjusting elements being located entirely in the space between said side members.

4. In a divider for a printing press ink fountain having a trough and a roller, a pair of plates having an outline substantially conforming to the cross sectional outline of the trough and the adjacent portion of the roller, means retaining said plates in parallel spaced relation, a strip oi resilient material received between the edges of said plates adjacent said trough and said roller, means adapted to press a portion of said strip against the bottom of the trough, a pressure plate behind the portion of said strip bearing on said roller, and independent adjusting means adjacent each end of said plate. Y

5. In a divider to nt in a printing press ink fountain having a trough and a roller, spaced side plates, sealing means supported between said plates and extending beyond the edges thereof, means mounted between said plates, controlling the pressure of said sealing means against the trough, a pressure strip bearing on'the portion of said sealing means the roller, and adjusting screws between said side plates, bearing on said pressure strip, said strip having a hooked portion at its lower end engaged by one of said screws. FLOYD M. GREEN. 

